Lost Soul Book 1: Bloody Beginning
by UnKnown294
Summary: In the midst of a surreal land, no matter how you avoid death from many varieties of monsters & different dimensions, there is no meaning of relaxation. Somehow though, a presence lurks beneath unknown eyes. Will a pair of teen girls discover a legend that has lead to the disappearance of a princess?
1. Introduction

**~*Introduction*~**

* * *

 **It was thought that one day could go either delightfully good or dreadfully bad...**

 **On a night such in the beginning, the quiet chirps of crickets in a healthy, green valley of grass sooth's a person's mind.**

 **The vast silence lingering in the air which vague emptiness of any perpetual life floats about.**

 **You wonder what would happen to yourself if not expecting to notice a sudden change in view, even if it's tiny enough that cannot be seen.**

 **Maybe wait for it to happen on at random day through your lifetime?**

 **Stay until it goes away or let it happen in a surprising fashion?**

 **It never crossed one's mind before they get smacked in the face by stupidity.**

 **Sometimes it happens, often it doesn't.**

 **You'll never know what can happen next, unless trained expertly, but even that won't be an advantage.**

 **Realization gets to you before a moment of time had ticked its last number.**

 **It's only a matter of time before one change could count the impossible out.**

 **Bear in mind, though, clocks synchronize differently wherever you may be and take upon the same counts in just one place than the other.**

 **The way this could change is as if your views depend on your choice of thought and remove yourself to another location where your journey starts off.**

 **Could fate and destiny or death and corruption follow you?**

 **Which one would you prefer the most, child?**

 **If your heart is full of purity by bravery and trust, the first is your choice.**

 **But if cruelty and darkness is inside your soul, the other is your pick.**

 **A yes on an exciting adventure with friends and an unknown visitor or a no and continue your life as it is while the reign of tranquility is under turmoil?**

 **It is your decision to decide whether or not to venture out to risk your life in terms of others, saving lives from eccentric opponents, and meeting a relative who've you never met in your life time.**

 **You are bound to help others in their need, whether you like the purpose or not.**

 **Enough talking for now, child. We must savior the moment at its finest peak for peace upon the lands will soon be repelled by the dark abyss.**

 **Good luck on your travels...**


	2. Prologue

**~*Prologue*~**

There are legends that were brought into this world. Every culture has one. Some transform into myths and rumors throughout the times of human existence, some not at all. Some are known far and wide, and some are unknown behind blind minds. One could be told by a passing traveler on their way to somewhere, another told by a bystander, and, well, you know the rest.

They become mythical to children so young, yet have fearing effects to several until they grow older, to which the legends have lasting effects on the listener. The stories can be told by anyone, young and old. By doing so, they keep them alive for future generations to pass them onwards until humanity is relinquished of their time on Earth.

When you think about a legend, you may ask: How did these myths and rumors come to be? Where did their existence come from? Who would tell to others about them? And if not told to someone, how will they be kept alive?

You can tell them, can you, my children?

Even this one?

Sure you can, but you won't be forced to tell.

But, be warned when telling a legend. Such legends can become manipulated, like the mind itself. It is as simple as flipping a coin and can easily be done one way or another. A person can just change a detail. One little detail, that's all. Such a difference can make the legend different and would eventually be left as an incorrect story, a wrong version of its once accurate self. That is a little unbearable, to say the least. Although changing a tiny detail is quite suitable, changing the whole legend shall not become unfitting.

Do you get what I mean? Be wary of legends that are unfitted to tell.

One legend stands out from the others, one as old as the universe itself. And this legend becomes one of the unfitting stories as time had passed its story don through many generations.

* * *

 **Ugh! Finally! Got this freaking done! Now, hear me out. I've had other stories in the works and I've let this one wait for me to write it since January this year. I feel bad for letting this story not get any updates, so I'm sorry that the Prologue is very short than the other Prologues I've created before. I don't know if readers will like this, so I may not update very much like I do with my other stories.**


	3. Chapter 1: The Journey Back

**~*Chapter 1: The Journey Back*~**

 _There was once a land, true and mighty at best…_

The rays of minimum sunlight that were barely kept out of sight stretched out over the warm, multicolored changing sky. On the east side of the warm sunset hues was the dark, semi-cold shades of navy blue and black appearing peacefully. Following those were the white, glittery stars cascading the sky and a ball of gray and white craters slowly orbiting its way across the skyline, brilliant white light shining its faded glow. The trees covering the grass floor were camouflaged under the moonlight. A gentle wind swept the darken area, blowing cool air to species that lurk in the darkness within.

From all of the many nights of a days ending trail to the other side of the world, the atmosphere above the ground was calm and bliss, the setting never having an ounce of disaster in its now minimal lifetime. The wispy, gray clouds that loom over the land flew by without a doubt of on-going fliers that catch the swift winds under their propelling wings. Rens squawk to their delights while they glide through the racing winds and the sky all but a changing shade of colors.

To the ground below, crickets hidden in the tall greenery grass chirp their soothing songs in symphonies, many of them jumping the grass fields like ballerinas leaping on stage. Little animals like Ribo, rabbit animals, Necdi, raccoon creatures, and other flourishing, forest life.

Behind the round, tree-shaped circle, there's an old, well-crafted, three-story castle surrounded by a dull gray stone wall. It's straight up ahead as an unbeknownst stranger was walking further to it on gritty, rough gravel. A scattering shift in the rocks was heard by each step, then they stopped. Her sky blue eyes, hidden under her hood, skimmed across the field over a small hill top.

The complex ahead had a dull gray stone look with three sections of floors and four towers built in each corner that reached the sky to the heavens. From the traveler's knowledge, both sides of the front had two additional buildings called the East and West Wings, the East Wing being the Infirmary and the West Wing the Training Rooms. Surrounding the castle are stone walls and two tunnels baring themselves out to the sides, linking the outside to the village houses and businesses for the people to live and work for the territorial land. Even around the castle housed the Market Place, Stables, and the wealthiest and poorest of people. Some may be out and about during the night anyways because of the lights shining upon the streets, giving them a sense of possible security.

In the very front of the kingdom, a drawbridge on the other side was up and black bars shaded by shadows were also closed. Finally, to the farthest left from a village appendage was part of the hilly forest the woman was coming through, and to the farthest right behind another settlement was a glass dome sheltering fields growing all kinds of crops. The top wasn't closed; instead it was opened in-case there was a rainstorm with high winds coming tonight. It wasn't going to be tonight, but maybe another time.

 _A realm at tranquil rest..._

Out of the greenery oak and birch wood forest, the lone figure strolled a stretch of cobblestone that lead towards the huge, gray castle on the other side. Her entire being was hid in a silk, black cloak going down to her ankles with her hood covering over her head. Not an ounce of her appearance was shown from head to toe, apart from her lower half of her face and a lock of chestnut hair with a few strains of blonde coloring cascading down her right shoulder. Black boots that were colored the same shade as her cloak with golden buckles adorned her feet.

A bright, sky blue staff was strapped behind her back and the orb attached to the top gave a faint ray of colors and sparkles inside. Four, golden spikes wrapped all the way up to the top of the staff's head, the golden tips curving around the orb.

On her left shoulder was a small, dragon-like creature. While they were going through the forest, he looked around the wooded area with his grayish blue colored eyes warily while perched on his friend's shoulder, sensing anything within the space apart from them. Two, white limbs attached to his head vibrated rhythmically and silently, and at the ends of both were blue jewels perfectly circular with a shine from the moonlight. The creature purred along the vibrating sensors when the woman scratched under his chin and beamed at her small buddy, giggling a little bit by his reaction.

"Silly boy, you've been looking around this area before we've entered. Why not give a break? You'll tucker yourself out if you go on any longer."

The creature looked at her and chirped in annoyance, not wanting to lighten up if there was a possibility of an ambush during their way to the castle. His long, slender tail flickered to the right behind him and he narrowed his eyes at her along with a gurgling noise. Also, he nudged her cheek for he wanted her to continue giving him a petting session and to get going if she wanted to chat more. The cloaked person chuckled to her buddy's attempt to keep searching until satisfied and needing to be petted more, but she gave him a long rub on his back and continued looking forward.

Her feet slightly quicken from a snail's pace when coming down the small hill and her head glanced at the nearly covered sunset settling under the wooded line. She had a small feeling of warmth from the beautiful, bright star and the coolness of the night winds blowing through her cloak and light blue dress. Her friend also had the same feeling and did his purring sound while viewing the sky changing hues.

What a breeze, almost giving the woman goosebumps on her pale skin.

When she made it to the gate, her pink lips curled into a smile as the sun gave way under the terrain's horizon line, disappearing until the next morning comes again. _'Thank Aktrikes*. We made it nearly before nightfall.'_

The small dragon mixed in a purr and a squeaking shrill when his mouth opened, showing a joyful reaction for their journey coming almost to an end without any bother of monster side quests. He lowered himself and leaped off her shoulder onto the staff's orb, then leaped again to her other shoulder.

As the cloaked figure made to the tunnel entrance, standing by both sides of the opening with the obsidian spiked gate and wooden drawbridge closed were two fully, decked out, iron guards with swords of the same material. Both hands held the hilts of the upside-down pointing, sharp swords. The light from the moon lit the surface of each pale, gray suit and sword, nearly blinding the viewer's eyes just a bit. A faint glow came off the armor and weapon they wore and held, vibrating a protection that can withstand blows from enemies near them.

The guards had no expressions; only their golden and greenish gray eyes blankly stared at the vast forest before them, waiting for signs of trouble and wanderers on the path. That was the same each time she came back to this castle. Different guards, same job shifts each night per half-day turn. The king would've known to have heavy security when the orb of fire settles down to a new dawn of light. Why weren't there be now other than these two and the ones going around the villages? The stranger pushed the thought to the side for now for she wanted the king to answer, smiled a little fake smile and waved a slight hand to the two guards, both of them breaking their gaze from the forest and path.

The guard on the left responded first. He was the one with the golden orbs, going by the name of Gret. "Hello, M'Lady." He said like smooth gravel with a greeting smile and bobbed his head a little. The woman replied back the same greeting, asked them to open the gate and lower the wooden bridge for her.

"Why visit at this such hour, madam?" The guard with the greenish gray eyes asked, known as Nive, politely concerning the woman for going into a hostile environment.

 _A path opens to new knowledge…_

"I wish to see the king and my faithful student after journeying so long through this wondrous world." She spoke a voice like silk through wind, "It would be great to see her one last time before I travel to the temple in time for a ceremony. As for the king, the information is between me and him only."

' _Why bother coming here to the king at this hour?'_ Nive raised an eyebrow, not understanding why. He sighed under his breath anyway and said with a light, stern voice, "Very well. You may enter through, but be warned. This month is where thieves come out to... _'play their games'_ under low surveillance at this hour, if you know what I mean. Not many of us will be standing guard to be protecting you from them, so be on your watch for any trouble. Understood, madam?"

' _At this hour, thieves are running the streets amuck? How idiotic to put several guards out to protect this civilization...'_ It was wrong for the king to put out less guards at this hour, but she knew he had a reason. Curiosity hit her for a bit, but she shoved it off before answering him back and looked at them like she didn't believed them. "Understood, Nive." She then smiled with a small chuckle, "Best wishes on capturing them if they ever get out."

The guard obliged with his own chuckle and pulled the lever down next to him. The obsidian hinges gave away a creek, rattling noise while drawn to align the bridge before her. The drawbridge came down at normal speed, some rattling from its chains and croaks off its hinges, and came with a bang after. She bobbed her head to the two men for her thanks, earning two nods, and walked through the entrance.

The woman was ready to meet the king and her student once again in such long months, including her parents when they're ready to go back through the portal. A small tear of happiness rolled down her smiling, cloaked face. As soon as she went through the drawbridge, the gates closed behind her, again giving creeks and rattles; the same from the drawbridge while coming up. Left behind by the gate, the two went back to their still, statue-like positions. Such gentlemen, they are.

 _But too much will leave someone on the edge…_

The final bits of light were completely gone, replaced to be the dark, star bundled, boundless night. As she furthered more through the tunnel streets, the light poles began to stream the sides beside various buildings. All beams shined like the moon's glow in a flame color; the darkness giving up to the brightness of the flaming lanterns. How was this possible without the use of people to relight them? These weren't any ordinary lanterns; no, the lights inside the lanterns were Zyn, a crystal created by Niyamlises.

They are fiery, crystal creatures who live in a volcano outside of the Orgi's Realm, pass the Great Yim's River borderline. The atmosphere is mildly warm outside the borders and coming too close will cost death upon unprepared wanderers. Above the barren land where the sun shines brightly each passing day and calming, chilly nights, there never were any clouds streaming except gray ones. Smoke often flies in the sky from the volcano, meaning the creatures are working on Zyn and other inventive creativeness.

With such a brutal temper state, a person can get creamed by their flames or suffocate in their ashy smoke without mercy. But by great generosity and kindness towards them, the lava born creatures return the same to them and help out when they are needed. Their home is also served as a prison for the most

A Niyamli has the ability to replicate a crystal out of their smoky bodies and turn it into a useful energy source for torches, kingdoms and households. Zyn can be in any shape a Niyamli can create, even if it is in a ridiculous form. A single crystal can go on for about two years if conserved properly. Crystals can burn out and can be replaced with another, but a Niyamli is limited to approximately two to three thousand per built jewel. The demand for it wasn't that high though, and consumers weren't all needy to store up on them in case there was an outage on their lands or travels.

 _May the path be your right choice…_

As the city came to life in the dark hours, the woman began to wonder in her thoughts about how her student will react to her short-time presence. She could possibly be happy and hug the life out of her or be surprised and be caught without notice. That has been done before and the cloaked figure chuckled under her breath as she recognized her priceless expression. Her friend wagged his tail and stuck his tongue to the side, getting use to the new air in a different place. When he heard his friend giggling, he looked at her with his head tilted.

Her apprentice does love to see old friends, teachers, and other students, asking how they've been and what it was like to wander into unknown territories to getting ingredients. Most of her friends were the guards in this dimension, and some in her own, that hung around their shifts during the day time and some of the small children around her age, older or younger from the town. They didn't mind that she was different than them; in fact, they loved her magical performances and the ongoing playtime she manages to sneak in for them.

Though she can do magic at a good pace, hers were more of simple spell casts than the advanced magic like the woman has. Aura abilities, water levitations, a little bit of weather conductivity, and invisibility tricks were her major victories, along with many more. But what the teacher's apprentice had for a troubling problem was making her fire capabilities more usable in battles and other life-threatening situations. How she could not get fire spells working made her annoyed and anxious.

The king however as she fixated to him in her thinking process could be aggressive, casual, or semi-barbaric when she shows herself to him. He tends to put up a smile once in a while, but with age and responsibility to his people lingering against his wishes, the ruler had less time to enjoy the rest of his life and have his smile stay on longer. Though granted he being the King of the First Monarch who ruled decades ago and owner of the greatest army built, being purposely thrown around work was the usual hangover. However, he pulls the job off as if it were the easiest thing in the world! He wasn't a slacker nor neglecting imbecile who takes things for granted from his people and allies; he is the right man suited for the job. If things were bad enough to be heard from afar, he'd be at the situation quickly.

But there's no telling what outcome can come from him now since her last visit. He could be the same man she knew and worked within years of peacefulness. She wondered how long it had been within their departure from the Battle of Melris all those years ago.

But that story is for another day. No time to get lost in memories.

 _Or have no rejoice…_

The cloaked person sighed, going around the mossy, stone layered brick fountain at the center of town. She slid her hand across the slightly rough surface of the moss covered rock, feeling the soft growth of green moss under her fingertips. This was wearing out in old age, but crystal blue water still flowed out of the structure like normal and the moonlight hitting the surface made it shine like gems flying out instead of liquid. _'This brought so many memories of us running around the central area. I'm glad to be back here instead of searching for new ingredients far and wide to create new potions for wanderers like myself. Though, I wonder how they're doing is what's bothering me lately while I was away.'_

She'd be surprised if the villages around the kingdom were owned by the ruler. That would likely be a tad rude, but humorous.

The little dragon hopped down off her shoulder and landed on the edge of the fountain. Taking a sniff and dipping his head down, centimeters from the waving water, he licked the cold water. It was refreshing as he never had anything like it besides his pond back home. The lizard male smiled and was about to take another lick until some water splashed half of his body. He yelped in surprise and jerked his head up, finding the culprit to be the cloaked person next to him, chuckling by his expression with her hand over her mouth. Looking at her unamused, he hissed and stuck his tongue out at her.

"Couldn't leave the chance down, buddy." She giggled and leaned her head besides him, cooing, "Come on, don't be mad at me. Why not come along and see how our apprentice's doing?"

He shook his head and closed his eyes, ignoring the woman's childish act. His feathery wings fluttered from the wind.

The woman smirked and picked him up by both hands. From him, he squealed and wiggled in her hold, gripping her fingers with his sharp claws in hope to have some weight off him, yet her friend's grip was strong like steel. It wasn't long for him being in her trap. Having enough fun with her buddy, she released him out of the tight stage and hugged him close to her chest. The creature growled from his friend's caring after getting some air into his lungs. He wasn't in the mood to be in this position, but the dragon did love hugs easily. Plus, this was a way to say sorry, so he simply smiled.

"I knew you wouldn't be mad at me for long." She smiled and lifted her friend to her left shoulder, giving him a scratch under his chin, "Let's go. We can't stay long."

Continuing from the fountain, the cobblestone street that went north kept leading them from the center of the village whereupon ended with a two-way gravel road. In the middle was also a fountain, but a little more bigger than the village's fountain. She felt the cool water droplets splashing onto her hand when she went to feel the temperature of the liquid. Pulling it away and taking one of the gravel paths towards the building, she slid her hand across the white railing and came to a dark oak colored staircase. It led up to two stone brick pillars and two creamy brown doors side by side of the front porch.

Some say this looks to be a mansion instead of a castle, but rumors and foolish accusations don't cut the real thing. Up the stairs and at the door in a matter of seconds, she sucked in some air and exhaled it to calm her nerves from the little nervousness surrounding her being. Grabbing the left door by the handle, the not-yet-named traveler entered the silent warmth of the home feeling establishment. Her boots continued clicking the ground even when inside and she closed the door with inaudible creeks.

Like the way she remembered from her last trip to the kingdom, her first interior sights were the walls. They were painted a royal blue color with quartz pillars lining the four corners. All of them held the roof proudly without signs of wear and cracks from old age, and in between each one, up by half were yellow, glass lamps sharing their glow in the lavish filled room. By some places of the room are tables with Blue Orchids in flower pots. In the center, a massive red rug stretched from where she stood to the staircases going both up from left to right. Two, wooden pillars had candle holders with candles lit and above her head was a chandelier lit with dozens of candles also.

The room looked to be made by excellent craftsmanship; not too quaint, not too elegant to bitter the taste, but this doesn't need to be compared to other builders. Nothing could be too perfect no matter who judges someone's creativity. The woman glanced at each site, taking in the familiar architecture before making her way up to the left staircase with one hand sliding on the railing for little support. It could have taken the crystals like the streetlamps outside, but the candles work anyway.

* * *

 ***Aktrikes is Heaven**

 ***The Battle of Melris was a battle between the Kingdom of Melris and the Kingdom of Orgi.**


	4. Chapter 2: Magic Practice

**~*Chapter 2: Magic Practice*~**

Up at the third floor of the castle as the mysterious cloaked woman strolled through the quiet hallways below, in a dark bedroom was a young girl at the age of twelve wide awake. She was hunched over by the bedside on the right, facing the dresser in front of her. The black blanket sprawled over her legs and its corner hung lazily on the edge. Her face had a haunted expression and the girl shivered slightly, not by the silent wind coming from the window behind her, but out of fear of what happened to her throughout the seemingly peaceful night.

 _'This had to of been what… five times this happened per night now? That's two more than last time...'_ She sighed silently.

To tell the truth, she recently had a nightmare too realistic to get rid of and decided to stay up through the rest of the night so no more could happen. It was a bad idea to begin with once she started doing this. Since her sleeping schedule was strict on 11 o'clock, with the recent additions of minutes going into her studies from herself, not that her teacher had noticed as of lately. Not to mention having to play with the children from time to time also, the schedule was breaking its alignment at this point. It was beginning to get easier for her to stay up though throughout nights like tonight. Building up extra time after being done with practices was possibly a great choice, in her opinion.

Her hands were on her lap as her steady breaths try to soothe her recent surprise in a slow, pacing manner. This fresh fiend wasn't supposed to freak her out this baldly, let alone leave her shocked until having a heart attack in her sleep. Having enough of the sleepless hours and boredom to fall back into sweet dreams for tonight, she stood up and let out a soft, irritated sigh. She settled on a thought for a late night spell practice to clear her mind from the bad dream.

Spell practicing is one of her favorite pastimes when she had gotten a break from any disruptions, such as the king ordering the knights to be somewhere around the kingdom near her vicinity, and performances out on the streets with the children of Night Crest.* Speak of the Dinev,* as she was heading out her room quietly, she stopped herself at the dark oak door. Her eyes scanned the two knights walking pass her without noticing her presence behind her door. They walked besides each other with their enchanted iron suits clinking and clanking with each of their movements. Their hands gripped their swords so that if there was any trouble brewing near them, they would be ready.

The girl saw them with little confusion as they rounded the corner and their footsteps ceasing to be heard in her ears. _'Must have been the watchers inspecting this section of the castle.'_

Yep, much activity goes around during nightfall, as suspected.

Quite frequent, the king's her main distraction from learning new spells. While he orders the knights to stand guard each night from thieves for one month of the year, the apprentice could hardly keep her attention on the spell books. It so happens to be tonight and out of the whole army, seven or eight knights are out on patrol. They were left to search throughout the large ruled land. He could've had more patrols if it weren't for the group of Pilias* blasting the walls and Igbres* shooting almost half of the searcher knights dead by their flame arrows over two months ago. Don't ask how they got enchanted flaming bows; no one knows how they had them either. Maybe if the king and knights were quiet enough, she can concentrate on mastering her ability to use fire as the element was her failing requirement to master.

Down the red colored walls and dark oak floors that were carpeted by long strips of maroon, she passed the multiple bedroom doors that lined both sides of the hallway. Then, turning to a sharp left, the girl met the stairs at the end and grabbed a handful of her nightgown with one hand while the other handled the railing. Stepping down without falling in case a sudden trip had to happen made her a little anxious. She stepped slowly down to the second floor, her feet making the smallest slapping noises on the wooden steps in a haste fashion.

Once down the steps, she meets the second floor where another set of doors lined both sides of her. Some of the candles did not have their dancing flames lit. Few or a couple were as far as she could see, but as the moonlight was angled on the floor, it helped them as much as it could to a person going through corridors at this late of hour. An ounce of the moon's glow reflected the girl's body as she slowed her pacing to the window. Gazing at the light, her hands met the colorful window pane. The moon had shown itself where it met the top of the window. Luckily there weren't any clouds to block it out of sight.

The apprentice also had a favorite passion of going outside during the night when needing to be comforted and watching the mesmerizing grayish white orb as it moved slowly across the dark sky upon her view filled a gap in her heart, a gap of happiness. It's a mystery how much elegance and beauty bestows to the land of many colors through the contrasting inky sky. And the stars sprinkling the canvas were made for the moon not to be lonely, just like when she meets the children and people around her. She feels like she is the moon itself and the people and children were the stars themselves.

Shaking her head so she couldn't get lost in wonder, the apprentice headed through the second section and stopped in her tracks, hearing the sound of footsteps coming her way. There is a tactic to pass this hall without getting caught by someone. The apprentice glanced at a pillar on her right, then shot towards it and stood behind the wide pole, beginning to wait for the footsteps to make their way across the hall. She stepped out when they were gone and hurried to the next set of stairs while doing this quietly in the shadows.

A rule from her Master was never to leave the grounds at night because of thieves wandering around this specific time of month, but she couldn't help herself from the nightmares that preoccupy her mind. They take too much out of her mentality and she wanted to be free from them, feel comforted from the outside and from within, less she doesn't show her usual self to others that knew her. She did not want to worry them, especially her Master. It is stubbornness, she knew, but she couldn't care less.

The girl again looked down the hall before stepping out and going behind a pillar to the left. She knelt beside it, her hand then touching the creamy white border of the wall and pushed on it, revealing a hidden button. Lines begin to rip through the surface and corners that were attached to them created a rectangle just about the height of an average adult. Both halves separated into the wall. She was met with darkness as soon as the door finished opening and stepped in. The walls closed the gap behind her for no one to follow her from behind.

Even though the passage way was pitch black with no candles or a single crystal lining the walls, her sight is clear thanks to a gift she was blessed since the start of her youth. The apprentice was born with the ability without learning from a Hyfire and only her father, mother, sister, and a few friends out of town knew this secret. Other than the fact she has heightened senses to detect unnoticeable scents and sights far from the capacity of the human eye's reach, she kept it to herself most of the time, but allowing it to help out people if easy or impossible tasks are opened.

By everyone, it is impossible to see through black without a light source unless taught or possessing a trait by a Hyfire, a bat-like creature residing the depths of caves and abandoned buildings during dark hours. Those who have it tend to go into hiding due to the abnormality placed upon them get killed by the elements if not protecting themselves right or people who think it was wrong. It is sad to think about those who would want to hide themselves because of their capability. Having a power that no one could understand or believing what power they hold is turmoil astonishment. But, there are some who can accept their ability and that trust and bond shared between the holder and their allies grows into more hope.

Anyway, the tunnel wasn't long nor short with an exception of an angled slant, a couple cutting corners, and dripping water coming from somewhere nearby. The wall used to be iron wood from the beginning, but now as she walked further in, the walls and floor changed to mossy stone. Dripping became more predominant in her hearing; some small scrapings of Rifs* scurrying away swam along, too. A musty smell was detected about two feet away and the girl hid her nose under her hand, blocking out the rancid smell from further distracting her. She never gotten used to it because of her advanced sense of smell and it must be from the way this tunnel has been aging since the construction of the castle. The iron wood was doing fairly well against the watery air, not leaving a foul scent like the cement bricks are doing now.

Her footsteps echoed through the darkness and a couple of Rifs next to her glanced at her for a second before running off, one of them with an insect in their mouth. She paid no mind to the vermin living in these secret passageways for they weren't a threat to her as long as she didn't provoke them. Upon reaching a two way, she took right and seeing the seemingly looking dead end, she crouched to a hatch fit for her stature in front of her. Opening it up as the door gave a gruff, creaking noise, the first thing to hit her was a cold breeze, her hair bouncing slightly along the currents. The current sent chills all over her skin; she should've brought a cloak or sweater before leaving the castle in her gray nightgown. It was too late for those anyway.

Climbing out of the hatch, she looked side to side through the interior of the stone wall. No guards were heard, which gave her an all clear, and she pulled her body out of the entrance. Once out and closing the hatch shut quietly, she stood up, not bothering to dust the patches of dirt off her nightgown. Her hearing perked up for the slightest sound of footsteps once more, but none came. She was alone and that was good enough. The apprentice went right to where the front left tower stood and found the wooden door. Grabbing the handle, it clicked and she poked her head in, seeing that there were stairs that lead upwards. A torch hung on the left next to the door was lit.

Pushing the door wider and closing it behind, she walked to the next door and did the same move on it. The door gave a creak sound when she pulled on the handle. Closing it, she continued walking through the narrow passageway until reaching the middle of the wall on her right. She then waved a pale hand above its stone surface and a series of patterns formed in a glowing vibrant purple, making the gritty blocks vibrate from the magic. They moved in a wave formation. The lines connected to the patterns, creating stairs that opened up to the outside. She stepped through, not hesitating to shiver from the night's cool breeze, and turned with a wave of her hand once more. The stairs faded and the stones attached itself back together in the same wave format, along with the patterns once presented diminishing, leaving nothing of the sealed escape route existing.

There were some made into the walls by her Master when the kingdom was under creation in case there were any emergencies happening within the kingdom's grounds. The rulers wished to use quicker paths to get outside rather than use the streets to get to the bridge because of battles taking place within the complex's walls. These passageways were their answer for the higher ups, such as the king, his family, and his noble men.

She turned to the alley way that connects the wall of the kingdom to the town, the streetlights glowing across from one side to the other. She paced to the sidewalk, her nightgown swaying in the continuing breeze. A cold wind blew her way again, a little stronger than in the underground current brought. It made her shiver more. The cobblestone path was sort of cold to her bare feet, but she didn't mind. She did this so many times on her breaks she was used to the chilly temperature, though not entirely because of the wind.

At the edge under a light pole, her head swiveled from left to right, scanning the path for anyone who could get in her way to the library. None made a sound until she heard something crack and the girl turned around to find a group of Rifs on an upside-down crate by the left. A few of them were chipping the wooden boards with their fangs. One hissed when it looked up at her from gnawing on the wood with its small red eyes. The rodent then jumped off the crate.

A Rif is a scavenging rat creature. The fangs in front of their mouth are so sharp that it can cut through stronger materials than ironwood and grows constantly in their lifetime, hence why they need to gnaw through those sorts of materials to shorten them. Rifs can eat any natural foods, such as wood, but not chemical based because their stomachs aren't use to the contents within.

Most Rifs are colored navy or black in populated areas, yet on rare occasions, there are brown Rifs burrowing holes in the dirt outside of fields and calico Rifs gnawing on wood and stone in forests. This species is high in population, more than Hyfires, but less than human inhabitants. During the winter time, however, white Rifs are spotted in the mountains making homes in snow caves. Lastly, on the sides and over the back is a red V pointing to the beginning of the white tail. It's two other points end at the Rif's shoulder blades. The tail can be either black or white depending on fur color.

Keeping her eyes focused on the small rodent coming slowly, still keeping its gaze on her, too, the apprentice stepped forward. The Rif warned her with a fizzled hiss. She didn't listen and took an extra step, their space between them around three feet. The Rif did the same, crawling to a half foot point before stopping and standing on its two hind legs, its front claws close to its slender body. The other Rifs watched them come closer until just a foot was their limit. The girl had her head down and the Rif looking up. She slowly got on her knees, extending a hand to the Rif. It narrowed it crimson eyes after the creature leaned its head forward and took a sniff.

The rat animal chattered and reared a little, the other Rifs climbing down from the chewed-up crate. She wasn't fazed by the group coming together nor their hissing to make her leave the alleyway. The apprentice, instead of getting up and going on her way, leaned onward with her hand helping her balance and stroked two fingers down what presumed to be the leader's head. The action surprisingly shocked the leading Rif as she petted its head a couple of times with a gentle smile plastered on her face. Recovering, it looked at her. The animal then squeaked in acceptance and walked on all fours, settling its two front paws on her left knee. She let out a chuckle and again petted the Rif leader.

The other Rifs joined their leader, crawling onto the child's legs and by a nod of her head, they scaled their way onto her lap. The Rif leader ascended to her shoulder, cocking its head with a questioning look. The apprentice smiled and asked if the group would like to come with her to the library. With a nod from the head of the Rifs and a squeak from the others, the apprentice wrapped her thin arms around them. Getting to her feet, being careful of not dropping one of the Rifs out of her arms, she turned and walked across the cobblestone streets.

She knew where the library was as she strolled through the quiet town. The library was located on the far left of the settlement past the market place and takes a few blocks straight. Nobody can miss it since the large architect was huge and towers than the surrounding buildings near it.

When she was there, the twelve year-old walked up the marble steps, passing two white pillars. Meeting the dark, wooden double doors, she turned the golden knob on the right. She pushed it into the room, entering the grand interior.

The room was mostly full of organized books within dark wood shelves that lined throughout the walls and floors. There are four floors in total, and taking a glance upward was the dome in diamond shape format. Moonlight penetrated through the glass, layering ever inch below the glass in a grayish white glow. A red circled carpet lies in front of the counter on the wooden floor. Tables and chairs lined across some columns of books, also towards the doors. Candles hanging in chandeliers, hooks, and standing on tables weren't lit like in the hallway back at the castle and the light from the wall windows also basked the area in a ghostly aura.

She smiled for the glow was in the same room similar to the hallway and enabled her to see the space more clearly. The Rif on her shoulder moved its head around the interior, examining where its new friend has taken its group to. It squeaked and jumped off her shoulder, scurrying to a random table. The girl smirked and crouched to let go of the other Rifs. They also ran to the same table to their leader. Walking over and leaning towards the group, she whispered to them in an unknown language. They nodded, obediently sitting.

When the word was given, she began to scan the sections for fire abilities, passing the water techniques and aura deflection units. Taking the left, she passed the Grass and Earth skills. This is a big complex, stretching to about the throne room's length. By the time her eyes scanned the whole first floor of the public library, she sighed in relief that the fire incantation portion was finally found in the fifth row. Sometimes she couldn't remember what parts the library held considering it's cluttered with multiple columns of books. Covers are often found out of order and it looks like there is a mess of it around several areas.

The librarian should've put back most of the books in their original place. However, while she searched thoroughly for fire spells, the wanderer found around four or more covers laying clumsily on tables, some having their pages opened to certain chapters and peeking out of shelves. Also, chairs were not shoved in the wooden objects, so the girl had to do her duty to push them back in during her search. Along the way, she can look at the names of books left on the tables to see if any of them are fire-related.

If the librarian wasn't doing her job right during after hours, she should have hired someone to do late hours when the predicament started. Well, actually, the apprentice would not have brought the scenario upon the owner anyhow due to poor timing.

Hell, she is a kindhearted woman at an age of sixty. Not very often, she comes in to do her work with a basket of loafs and other kinds of goods from the bakery shop a few blocks to the left and the market place about several turns away. The woman would ask the villagers who come in if they would like one, even the girl that frequently visits after practice. Other than the child trying out spells with her Master during the day in this room, the sweet old woman didn't mind having her stay and partially clean up what's left of her lessons. The girl would even offer to tidy up and place tomes back into the shelves. It was a rare occurrence to have a clean room after being done with practice though and not very often, her spells cause untidiness to the athenaeum.

For a while, the girl spotted a leather red book and went to grab it out of its slot. Picking it out, she checked the name and what it contained through the pages if it were the right one. The cover had a fire symbol in the middle, and above it was titled in yellow letters _Elemental_. It was also light weight, thin, and capable of being handled through weather and tears, just like all the other books stored in the shelves. Having the right book to start with, she grabbed other resembling tomes as much as she could carry and walked through the maze of books again until reaching the back of the desk.

No one from the public but the librarian, the girl, and her teacher enters this part of the complex, but was acceptable to friends and relatives if one of the three were with them. Shifting the weight over to one arm, she spun her other hand and produced a gold key out of thin air. She pushed the key in the lock, turned it, and pushed down on the handle. Before entering, her hand slipped the key from its slot and made it disappear. The girl then went into the room. Closing it behind her, she placed her hand on the book on the top before it could drop out of her hold.

Though this room wasn't that good with space, it was enough to put a circle in the middle of the floor and have some other furniture, such as a table, a couple of shelves, and a chest. It was plain looking at first sight, too. The walls had no color on them, leaving them a dull white. She hasn't found time to paint the walls, so she left them as is. Along the plainness was the floor. The planks were not the rich dark wood like in the library. It was maple wood, as simply said.

Once she found the desk on the left of the room, the girl dropped off her load and sat down in the wooden chair. She grabbed the one on top first. Holding the book by one hand and lifted her other, she turned the book to a certain chapter. Ten chapters she quickly read carefully through in several minutes and none of them had what she thought of doing first.

It had to be in here. She knew it can be, or was the particular spell within the others?

The apprentice laid the book down on the other side of the pile, deeming it being read, and fiddled with the pages of another volume. This one looked to be a medium with not a large set of pages, but has more than a small tome. It also had a moldy yellow colored cover and had the name _The Golden Dancers_ in green cursive writing. Again she repeated the process of going in each chapter, but it had the same result like the first.

Lots of pages, yet one spell wasn't to her liking. She still had to get in all of them if she needs to find what she wished for. Her spell will be worth looking for.

What felt like hours to her, she sets a gold rimmed, blue covered book on top of the twelfth and took the thirteenth off the pile, the coloration being a forest green one. _The Flame Circle_ was its name in light green cursive and she pulled off a smile. Maybe this was the one she was looking for considering the title the book gave. Eager to see what's in it, she flipped opened the book's cover and skid her thumb across the page's edges quickly one by one. Seconds off the thirtieth page, her eyes went a little wide and she grinned, finally discovering her spell in the number of other magical words and symbols.

Scanning the words, she settled the book flat on the table and went to the middle of the wood area. She closed her eyes and raised her arms in the air, spreading her fingers out in a flowing motion. Inside her being, power that was hot like a lava pool was building itself up. The feeling went through her arms, making them come into view in a magenta hue. Small balls of flame burst around her in a circle formation. The lights from them gave the room a warming, yet eerie, glow and they steadily grew in size.

 _"Come on, End... A little more energy and thought into the flames and it should make the spell work perfectly."_ Her mentor's encouraging words reached her.

She scrunched her face lightly and her mind focused on that one thought at the multiple, purple flames floating around her. The look of concentration was eminent as the flames slowly grew bigger in her dark sight. When the circle of flames stopped at a précised size, all at once, they floated to the ground and spun in a circle. They then stopped at her feet. Lines started to form out of the ring and inside the shape, meeting at the opposite sides of the edges. After completion, it formed a merged of two, opposite-pointing stars. Or, at least, what looked like points. Spikes shot out of the edges and met in a spiral form over her head. Along with the spikes, letters of an old ancient language forgotten in time appear in each space. The language on the outside spun counter-clockwise and floated up in the middle of the wall of light.

The girl saw through her closed eyes that the brighten glow was in a different level of shine than she remembered the last time she performed this spell. It was working perfectly like she wished for. If the girl can keep this up, it and many other fire spells may put her in the Full Apprentice rank. She can then learn new information from her Master. That is if the Half Apprentice ranked teen had enough focus and energy poured into her work, she will have the achievement.

Lowering her arms halfway and bending her elbows to ninety degrees, both of her hands clenched into fists. The glowing arrays reacted to the movement. It began to sparkle as the inner ring faded from view quickly. As doing so, the circle on the edge burst off from the floor, yet the letters remained still and calm as the circle floated above her in a fiery fashion. The hoop of purple erupted before the stars had climbed around her being. It teared apart into purple fire strands.

What happened next was her troubled moment.

The stars started to waver more than earlier, turning into thinner lines and crackling can be heard as the letters were popping in more sparkles, disappearing all together with the stars. Part of her needed to open her eyes and get out of the circle before it could deal damage to her, yet the spell in this stage shouldn't be seen or moved by the user. Otherwise, the fire turns on them and burns their organs from the inside. Light was not around her no more as the last of the incantation turned into a ball above her head and puffed out of existence.

Her being felt relieving when End opened her eyes to see no more purple fire surrounding her, but the energy she used to conjure the spell and keep it going was well spent. Her legs instantly gave out and the girl dropped to the floor, her arms flinging out in front of her to break the fall. They failed on their part once making contact to it, slipping on the edge of the palms. A thud can be heard when she landed hard, arms stretched out by her sides and head banging on its right side. Some of her hair fell around her face and the girl weakly pulled it back behind her ear.

Silence coated itself throughout the room, though only End's deep breaths can be audible.

' _Well, that could have gone worse…'_

The apprentice sighed and began pushing herself off the ground. Every part of her body felt like she was crushed into jelly by a battering hammer. On her hands and knees, her breath came out in pants, her beating heart going frantic in her ribcage and threatened to burst out in chucks of muscle and blood. The girl raised the rest of herself up slowly, eyes drooping due to exhaustion. With the little strength she kept out of the spell, her hands reached out, searching for a solid object closest to her.

When both of her legs wobbling, she lurched swiftly to the right, her hands reaching out to the nearest object, which was the table on her right, to catch herself before she met the floor again. She dropped fast, the girl's hands gripping the edge of wood tightly and her mind starting to be cluttered in vertigo by the rushing movement. She ignored it and shook her head lightly. Pulling herself up on her strained arms, she made her way to the chair and slumping into it heavily. Her breaths were forced out, greedily taking in air as sweat dripped down her pale face. Dark brown hair fell over her vision again and she pulled it away once more.

' _I think I may give myself a booster just this once… I didn't think Circle of Flames can drain my magic that quickly as it shouldn't have been. Then again, I wasn't practicing it much than what I do put forth with the other ones. Yes, I wish to recreate it once more and maybe I can get it right, but not at the moment...'_

With that in mind, the teen picked herself up from the chair, feeling her strength very slowly coming back into her muscles. She turned around, still shaking in the knees, and walked a bit to the chest on the far corner of the right next to the door. When her legs again crumbled underneath her after shaking so much, her arms were ready this time to pull out in front of her and not let her hit the ground again. Giving a soft grunt after plopping onto the floor, the girl huffed out a breath of annoyance.

' _I swear, this has become tedious for me to simply get from one side to the next to get a single booster. What a rude spell I've casted tonight…'_ She thought aggravatingly while deadpanning, sliding her lower body along the floor. Her legs were going to be more annoying to function as they were asleep. _'And thanks to you, you feel like someone rammed yourself over with a carriage thrice while being in the street full of them.'_

It's when times like these get on her nerves. An idea will pop into her head as soon as she had woken up from slumber, terrified by a random nightmare conjured up in her mind, and have to audacity to play with her magic in the middle of the night at the library. Would staying up, lying in bed and having a good book to read be a simpler answer to get calmed enough instead of doing spell practicing far from the castle in a nightgown? End would have gladly agreed with the first idea and stayed in her room, reading one of her favorite books out of the bookshelf and just read it until her eyes droop in sleepiness. That would have been far much better than having to drag herself back to the castle before anyone saw that she left. Although, she was forgetting something, but what could it be…?

End sighed for what could be the third time. _'No more thinking, End. More activity must be done.'_

Feeling her elbows locking up in them, the girl started moving towards the chest, albeit keeping a steady balance while doing so. Dragging your body seems easy enough with an amount of strength a person has, but when hit by a spell that's incomplete and drains that strength, along with less sleep added in, it becomes a hassle and damnable action. It makes a person possibly irritable and would more likely to release that fury onto someone close to them. For her, she had no one but the furniture and items stored in the shelves and chest to beat her fists on. Might as well bang on the chest hard once there with her forehead and clenched hands.

After getting around the circle on her hands, miserably dragging her legs along the trip, End adjusted herself so that she sat herself on her legs in front of the chest. Flicking her hand, a different key appeared, this one being silver. She pushed it in and turned, hearing a click sound coming from the keyhole. Propping the lid up, the training girl reaches in while her right arm held herself on the rim. Her left hand scavenged for a bottle that was in an oval shape, as far as she remembers it being in that shape. Her memory has captured a few pictures of boosters being in other shapes, such as in teardrop and circle shapes, but the colors never changed, even in different shaped glasses.

* * *

 ***Sigh* Yo. It's been a while since I've updated anything lately and I don't feel sorry for that because no one would care if I do. I just write and move on, that's it... Whatever, later.**


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